ROMARE BEARDEN Mecklenburg Morning: Sunrise for China Lamp, 1993

Romare Bearden (1911–1988) was an African-American artist known for his powerful collages, as well as work in oils and cartoons. Born in North Carolina and later based in New York, he depicted scenes of Black life in the American South, emphasizing community and unity. After serving in World War II, he studied in Paris and explored themes of humanity and social justice. In the 1960s, he co-founded The Spiral, an art collective focused on civil rights. Also a writer and songwriter, Bearden supported emerging artists through the Bearden Foundation. The New York Times hailed him as “the nation's foremost collagist.”